Who were
most notable
Hawaiians?

'Oiwi: A Native Hawaiian Journal
plans to publish the top 100 Hawaiians
of the last 100 years

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

Who do native Hawaiians think are the 100 most notable Hawaiians of the century?

That's what the staff of 'Oiwi: A Native Hawaiian Journal want to find out.

Editors of the annual journal, which is dedicated to the mana'o (thoughts) and hana no'eau (works) of Hawaiians, put out a call last month for nominations of key native people to include in its December 1999 issue.

Although nearly 100 names have been submitted, more people are encouraged to make suggestions, said 'Oiwi Associate Editor Ku'ualoha Ho'omanawanui.

The submission deadline is July 15.

Ho'omanawanui said editors created 12 fields for Hawaiians, including education, sports, entertainment, law, criminal justice, medicine, religions, etc. She said the list is not limited to well-known Hawaiians, but to anyone who has made an impact in the native community.

Because 'Oiwi staff are volunteers, the request for names was made simply on an Hawaiian e-mail list. Still, the response has been incredible, she said.

"I've had responses from high school students all the way through kupuna," Ho'omanawanui said.

"Some everyday people I've never heard of to some very well-known people in the Hawaiian community have responded. Some of the names on the list of nominees are some very well-known names, and some I've never heard of because they're community people. "

"It has just been very touching to me because it's just phenomenal what Hawaiian people have to say about other Hawaiian people," she said.

'Oiwi Hawaiian language editor Noelani Arista said as with many things Hawaiian, you have to look to the past to see the future.

"I think it is important to identify who it is that Hawaiians are inspired by, who it is that Hawaiians feel are their role models," she said. "I think that's really the motivation."

Hawaiians of any blood quantum who were or are living in (but not necessarily born in) the 20th century can be nominated. Submissions should include a brief statement on why you think this person should be named, any relevant information and a photograph, if any.

Submissions can be sent by e-mail to kuualoha@hawaii.edu. They can be mailed to Ho'omanawanui at P.O. Box 4873, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744 or at 'Oiwi: A Native Hawaiian Journal, P.O. Box 61218, Honolulu 96839-1218. Call 988-0594.

Ho'omanawanui said editors expect there will be many more people named than can be printed in the next issue. All nominations will be kept for future projects, she said.

'Oiwi's December 1998 inaugural issue contained songs, chants, poems, stories, photographs, drawings, essays, reprints from old Hawaiian-language newspapers and testimony by more than 30 writers and artists.

It was published by Kuleana 'Oiwi Press and funded by grants from the Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii, as well as the UH Student Activity and Program Fee Board and the Associated Students of UH.

All the authors, artists and the entire 'Oiwi staff are native Hawaiian.